TNAG-1310-FCO40-1667-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 163

GRS 315

SECRET

FROM PEKING 271145Z APR 84

SECRET

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 813 OF 27/4/84

MELE. 22

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

= 25.7 22:1

tik korell

- 2 MAY 1954

FOR CRADOCK FROM GOVERNOR

MKK040/1252 253

FCO TELS NOS 606 AND 607: FUTURE EGRET:

INDEX

и

2845

ACCEPTABILITY

1. 1 HAD SOME DISCUSSION WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THE QUESTION OF HOW WE WOULD ESTABLISH THE ACCEPTABILITY OF A DRAFT AGREEMENT IN HONG KONG. IN THE LIGHT OF THAT CONVERSATION, AND OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S PRESS CONFERENCE, I THINK THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO BEGIN PLANNING THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS RATHER MORE FIRMLY. THE FIRST STEP WILL BE TO PUT THE FINAL VER- SION OF THE PAPER IN YOUR SECOND TUR TO EXCO. THE DRAFT WOULD NEED SOME UPDATING, EG TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT THE UNVEILING STATEMENT HAS NOW BEEN MADE, AND I WOULD WISH TO INCORPORATE MOST OF THE AMENDMENTS IN HONG KONG TEL NO

924

2. MY OWN VIEW IS THAT WE SHALL NEED TO EMBARK ON AN (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) ACTIVE PROCESS OF SEEKING THE

VIEWS OF ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS IN HONG KONG. THIS WOULD INVOLVE ALL THE PROCESSES INDICATED IN PARA 8 (111) OF THE PAPER WITH SOME ADDITIONS EG THERE WOULD PROBABALY BE A NEED FOR A PUBLIC STATEMENT COMMENDING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT

AS THE BEST WHICH COULD BE NEGOTIATED AS WELL AS

THE EXPLANATORY DOCUMENT.

3. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL AGREEMENT THAT I SHOULD PUT A PAPER TO EXCO EARLY NEXT MONTH. IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW THE OUTCOME OF ANY DISCUSSION THE SECRETARY OF STATE MAY HAVE WITH HIS COLLEAGUES ON THIS ISSUE ON HIS RETURN

WE WILL SEND YOU FROM HONG KONG A DRAFT SUITABLE FOR EXCO (UNLESS YOU PREFER TO PREPARE SUCH A DRAFT IN LONDON)

(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)

EVANS

LIMITED

HD HKD

HD. FED

MR WILSON

SECRET

∙∙COPIES TO SIR P CRADOCK MR BURROWS,

LEGAL ADVISERS.

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